How to Prevent Heat Stroke and Exhaustion

Studies suggest that heat stroke affects 20 out of 100,000 people annually in the United States. This heat-related condition is most common in urban areas, especially during scorching weather.

If you’re in the Florida Keys, playing sports can be a fun summer activity as long as you take proper care to prevent heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and other adverse physical conditions.

Visit W-Radiology.com for helpful information about medical imaging services, especially for the arms, knees, feet, and other body parts you use when playing various sports.

How do you prevent heat stroke and exhaustion while playing sports? What are the signs that you may be experiencing heat exhaustion or stroke?

Aside from high temperatures, what other factors can increase your risk of heat exhaustion and stroke? How is the temperature? Does it make you prone to heat exhaustion and stroke?

This article discusses how you can prevent or minimize the chances of getting a heat stroke or experiencing heat exhaustion while participating in summer sports.

The write-up also explains heat stroke and exhaustion, including the symptoms and factors that can increase your risk for these conditions.

Preventing Heat Stroke and Exhaustion While Playing Sports

The climate in the Keys can get as high as 83.7°F (28.7°C) in Key West and 84.5°F (29°C) in Marathon, and temperatures often peak during the summer months. People who aren’t used to the Keys’ maritime tropical climate may find adjusting to such high temperatures challenging.

Heat stroke and exhaustion usually occur when you spend a long time exposed to the sun. Aside from the extreme heat, certain circumstances like high humidity or vigorous physical activity in the hot sun can cause your body’s cooling system to fail.

So while you’re in the Keys, find ways to keep yourself cool to minimize or prevent heat stroke or exhaustion. Consider the following tips:

Drink lots of fluids like water and sports drinks when doing activities outdoors, especially on hot days. Avoid coffee, caffeinated tea, soda, and alcohol, as these drinks can cause dehydration.
Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and tightly woven clothing that comes in light colors.
Use an umbrella, a hat, and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun.
Schedule sports and other vigorous physical activities for cooler times of the day.
If you must spend time outdoors, gradually increase your time outside so your body will get used to the heat.

What Are Heat Exhaustion and Stroke?

Heat exhaustion is when you experience heavy sweating and a rapid pulse due to your body overheating. This condition is a heat-related syndrome with symptoms that include:

Heavy sweating
Cool and moist skin with goosebumps under the heat
Weak, rapid pulse
Low blood pressure upon standing
Dizziness
Faintness
Fatigue
Headache
Nausea
Muscle cramps

Heat exhaustion can cause heat stroke, a life-threatening condition, if not treated promptly. But you can prevent heat exhaustion easily by:

Wearing loose and lightweight clothing.
Drinking plenty of fluids.
Using sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 to prevent sunburn.

In case someone experiences heat exhaustion, do the following:

Move that person to a cool place like a shaded spot or an air-conditioned room.
Encourage that person to drink cool fluids like water or sports drinks. Don’t give alcoholic beverages, which can cause dehydration.
Provide cooling measures like a cool shower or towels soaked in cool water to keep the temperature down.
Loosen or remove any unnecessary clothing.

Heat stroke is a severe heat-related illness in which your body can no longer control its temperature. When your body’s sweating mechanism fails and you’re unable to cool down, your temperature can rise rapidly.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

Excessive sweating or hot, dry skin
High body temperature
Confusion, altered mental status, or slurred speech
Seizures
Coma or loss of consciousness

Heat stroke can be fatal if the treatment gets delayed. When you see someone experiencing the symptoms above, move that person to a cool shade and immediately call for emergency medical care.

Remove the person’s outer clothing, provide cold compresses, wash their head, face, and neck with cold water, and stay with that person until help arrives.

Heat Exhaustion and Stroke Risk Factors

Anyone can experience heat exhaustion, which can also lead to heat stroke. But the following factors can cause you to be more sensitive to heat and increase your risk factors:

Obesity: Excess weight causes your body to retain more heat and affects your body’s ability to regulate temperature.
Young or old age: Children younger than four and adults older than 65 have a high risk for heat exhaustion.
Certain medications: Some drugs like diuretics and beta blockers (for heart problems and blood pressure), antihistamines (for allergies), and antipsychotics (for psychiatric symptoms) can affect your body’s ability to keep hydrated.
Sudden temperature changes: Traveling from a cold to a warm area or living in a place that experiences heat waves can put you at risk for heat-related illnesses, especially when you haven’t acclimated to higher temperatures.
High heat index: The heat index considers how humidity and the outdoor temperature affect you. When humidity is high, your sweat can’t evaporate quickly, and your body can’t cool itself down, putting you at risk for heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

If you’re in the Florida Keys and in need of emergency medical services, especially for heat exhaustion or heat stroke, contact any of the following services: